THE THAMES FERRY.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2786, 5 May 1911, Page 2

THE THAMES FERRY.

QUESTION OF SITES.

DISCUSSION AT THAME^

COUNTY COUNCIL

The matter of a ferry over the Waihou Rtver so as to give communication between Thames and the Hauraki Plains has been much discussed of late by the Thames County Council. A majority of the members of that body favour a site somewhere between Turua and Matatoke, but apparently others think the site should be further down the river, as a petition from settlers, asking for re-consideration of the matter, was received at the meeting of the Thames County Council this week.

In moving that the Hauraki settlers' petition with reference to the proposed ferry over the Waihou River be received, the Chairman (Mr R. W. Bagnall) said he did not consider that the petition complied with the standing orders of the Council and as chairman of the Council it was his duty to say so in this as in any other matter before the Council. Continuing, Mr Bagnall said that in 1877 a loan was raised, and one of the allocations was for a road at Matatoke in the direction of Piako, showing that the ratepayers favoured this site. Fourteen years ago the Minister of Works placed ,£250 on the estimates for a ferry over the Waihou and in the;

grant it was stated that the site was to beat Matatoke. Altogether five sites have been under consideration, namely, Kopu, the Cable Station, Matatoke, Puriri, and Wharepoa. He had never asked one member of the Council to vote for the Matatoke site, and yet the Council had seen fit to choose this one. It had been said that he was interested in having the ferry at this particular point, and indeed he had a large interest, but only the broad interest of the district as a whole. He had been told by several of the Hauraki petitioners for the site near Kopu that if they had understood the whole position they would not have added their names to the petition. He was sure that if the petitioners had

understood the big interest the County ' Council was taking in this matter they would not have shown so much opposition. In conclusion the Chairman said that if his holding the position of chairman was considered by the ratepayers to be inimical to the best interests of the district as a whole he was prepared to resign. ■ Mr Deeble seconded the motion that the petition be received, and this was carried. Mr Law remarked that if the plans prepared for the Turua-Matatoke site,,;.: by the Council's engineer are not approved of by the department there will be no ferry at that site. Consequently approval or otherwise must and would come from the Minister of Public Works. Messrs Cooper and Deeble concurred in this view, the latter moving that the petition lay on the table and the Council do nothing until the report by the District Engineer is furnished. This was seconded by Mr Killgour and carried.